At A Vote Reading Poem by Pierre Lien

banners raised and visage blocked
people gathering for a purpose to be
contributions to institutions

'we vote for those who count'
- counting policies, counting friends,
counting slumberweeds to bend

ticks and crosses observed and read
people staring at walls with tallies
losing (and winning) count

and once the mic was shut
laughter dropped like tear gas in september
forgetting former foes like rain puddles.